I’m so pumped for you to make this pumpkin bread recipe: no eggs, no gluten, and no major allergens. Woo!! This eggless pumpkin bread has been something my kids have been eating for years, and expect to see some in the freezer once pumpkin season kicks off.
This easy pumpkin bread recipe is something you can batch cook on a weekend and have all season long, with minimal effort. Now, grab your mixing bowl and let’s get to work.
Allergy Status
Free From: Wheat/Gluten, Dairy, Egg, Soy, Tree Nuts, Peanut, Fish, Shellfish, Sesame, Top 9 Allergens, Top 14 Allergens, Alliums, Apple, Avocado, Banana, Beans & Lentils, Buckwheat, Cane/Refined Sugar, Carrot, Celery, Citrus, Coconut, Corn, Cruciferous, Garlic, Latex Cross Reactive Foods (H/M), Legume, Lupin, Mushroom, Mustard, Nightshade, Oat, Onion, Pea & Pea Protein, Potato (Nightshade Variety), Poultry, Red Meat, Rice, Strawberry, Sweet Potato & Yam, Tapioca/Cassava/Yuca/Manioc, Tomato, Yeast
Friendly To: EOE, FPIES, GERD, Migraine Diet (Cleveland Clinic & Johns Hopkins), Vegan
Tools to Make Your Pumpkin Bread
- Small Bowl (for your flax bind)
- Can Opener
- Spatula
- Kitchen Scale
- Measuring Cups + Measuring Spoons
- Large Mixing Bowl + Whisk OR Stand Mixer with Wire Attachment OR Large Mixing Bowl + Electric Handheld Mixer
- Loaf Pan (glass or metal)
Ingredients for This Pumpkin Bread Recipe
Flax Bind
- 5 TBSP Golden Flax Meal (use this brand for the best results)
- 10 TBSP Water, room temperature
Part 1 Ingredients (wet ingredients)
- 450g Organic Pumpkin Purée (15 ounces, this is the brand I use)
- 110mL Organic Extra virgin Olive Oil (4 ounces)
- 1 TBSP Organic Pumpkin Pie Spice
- 2 tsp Organic Vanilla Extract (this is the brand that I use)
- 1 tsp Organic Ground Cinnamon
Part 2 Ingredients (dry ingredients)
- 200g Sorghum Flour, superfine OR Brown Rice Flour, superfine
- 130g Organic Maple Sugar
- 70g Millet Flour, superfine
- 30g Arrowroot
- 3 tsp Baking Powder
- 1 tsp Sea Salt
- 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
Ingredient Notes
- To easily make individual portion sizes for your freezer, bake this pumpkin bread recipe in disposable mini loaf pans. These are the ones that I use.
- This is the brand of pumpkin purée that I use.
- Here’s a recipe for pumpkin pie spice if you need one.
- You can add other extracts to this recipe. Maple extract in this recipe would be AMAZEBALLS.
Tasty Mix-Ins to Try
Chocolate Chips: I suggest using mini chocolate chips, not full sized chips. I’d also avoid using white chocolate chips in this particular recipe.
Pumpkin Seeds: Take a little extra time to make candied pumpkin seeds, then roughly chop them and fold them into the batter once you have a fully formed wet mixture. This can really boost the rich flavor of this recipe.
Add candied ginger. Ginger is one of many warm spices that can make your vegan pumpkin bread extra special. Depending on the size of the ginger, you may want to roughly chop it before folding it into the batter.
Make a sweet ripple with vegan cream cheese for the perfect fall treat. To do this, place 6 ounces/170g of a dairy-free cream cheese you enjoy into a separate bowl (small is fine). Add a little maple sugar and anything else you want to flavour it with. Use fork and mix very well. Transfer this to a disposable decorator bag (these are the ones I use).
Candied Crushed Nuts: If no one in your house is allergic to nuts, and assuming you like them, crushed candied walnuts, pecans, or almonds would be a fantastic mix in for this no egg pumpkin bread recipe. You can use non-candied, but the little extra sweetness will balance the natural bitterness that can be found in some tree nuts.
Directions for Your Eggless Pumpkin Bread
- Oven Temperature: 325f/163c
- Baking Time: 40 – 50 Minutes
Start by preheating your oven to 325f/163c. Next combine the flax and water together in a small bowl, mix well, and set aside.
To make pumpkin bread, I use a stand mixer with the wire attachment. You can also use a handheld electric mixer, or mix by hand if you’ve got the elbow grease. Place a large bowl or your stand mixer bowl on your kitchen scale and tare to zero.
Add the Part 1 Ingredients (wet ingredients) and mix them together very well. Return the bowl to the scale, tare to zero, and add the Part 2 Ingredients (dry ingredients). Don’t forget to tare between weighted ingredients.
Once it’s all in the bowl, mix on low speed. When the batter has started to form, turn the mixer off and add your flax gel. Return to mixing on low speed until everything is well combined.
If you’ll be using the mini chocolate chips or any of the other suggested mix-ins, now is the time to gently fold them in. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper (it’s OK to have some hanging over the sides, as this can behave like a handle so you can lift the bread out easily, later.
With the parchment paper in place, add the batter. Bake in your preheated oven at 325f/163c for 40 – 50 minutes. The bake time will vary based on your pan and individual oven. You’ll know the bread is ready when medium to large cracks have formed and you pass a toothpick test.
If this is your first time making pumpkin bread, it’s OK to cheat and use a fork to take a little out of the pan to really, really make sure it’s done first. Once your loaf is out of the oven, allow it to cool in the pan for at least 20 minutes before removing it.
How to Add Toppings to Your Egg Free Pumpkin Bread
When you make this no egg pumpkin bread recipe, there are two ways to add toppings: before you bake, and after you bake. If you want to add something like crushed nuts, you can add them on top of the pumpkin bread batter just before it goes into the oven. The same is true if you want to use chocolate chips as a topping.
If you’re a fan of coffee cake and crumbles, you could make a ground cinnamon + ground nutmeg + pinch ground cloves streusel topping and spread that all over the top before baking. Talk about something everyone is going to want a slice of.
Now, for adding toppings after you’ve baked your pumpkin bread, don’t try to add anything until the pumpkin bread has cooled completely. Toppings to add after baking are glazes, any kind of frosting, a chocolate spread (like this awesome nut free Nutella recipe), or even a dusting of something like organic powdered sugar.
My kids LOVE to smear a little bit of this dairy free cream cheese frosting on top of their pumpkin bread slice, and one kid even adds a few mini chocolate chips on top of said smear. At that point though, it’s no longer a snack but totally a dessert.
Quick Breads and Tasty Bakes to Make
Here are more tasty bakes and quick bread recipes to try. They’re all egg free, gluten free, vegan, and top 9 free.
- GF + EF Double Chocolate Muffins (my kids LOVE when I make this as a loaf and top with peppermint glaze rather than making individual muffins)
- Gluten Free, Refined Sugar Free Banana Bread (an amazing vegan quick bread recipe that’s also top 9 free)
- Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bars
- Gluten Free + Egg Free Orange Cake Recipe (Top 9 Free, Vegan)
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Storage for Your Pumpkin Bread (Gluten-Free & Allergy Friendly)
The general rule of storage for this pumpkin bread is to store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature on the counter, or in your fridge.
You can also freeze this pumpkin bread, and you have a few options. You can freeze the whole loaf, however, eating it in the future is harder since you’d need to thaw it all (at least partially) to slice it.
I like to bake loaves in mini loaf pans as one way to make freezing easier. The other option is to allow the pumpkin bread to cool completely, then line a large baking tray with parchment paper. Slice your loaf, then place the individual slices on the tray in a single layer. If you have more than one layer, divide the layers with another piece of parchment paper. It’s OK if the sides are touching, but to prevent massive sticking, layers should be separated.
Once the individual slices are frozen solid, transfer them to a freezer safe airtight container and you’re good to go.
Storage in a humid climate and at a higher elevation will change, but I won’t be able to give you specifics since I don’t live in those regions. What I can tell you is that it’s not uncommon for a moist pumpkin bread to dry out in some scenarios, but also to become overly moist in other areas. If you know your baked goods require specific storage, go with what you know works.
Serving Ideas for Your Egg Free Pumpkin Bread
You can absolutely eat this eggless pumpkin bread recipe standalone, however, if you’d like to try something a little different, here are some ideas:
- Serve with yogurt for a tasty breakfast (there are so many dairy free and vegan yogurt options these days)
- Pair with a pumpkin spice drink you enjoy.
- Take a slice of the pumpkin bread, toast it, top with a butter/dairy free butter you enjoy, and sprinkle a little cinnamon sugar on top.
- Serve warm with a side of fresh whipped cream. And maybe a cup of lightly sweetened coffee if that’s your jam.
- Create a savory butter mix (think tarragon and thyme). Toast a slice of your pumpkin bread, then top with savory butter.
- Drizzle maple butter on top of your pumpkin bread before serving (note: maple butter is a dairy free, whipped maple syrup. this is the one I use the most)
- Make a layered dessert! Bake a batch of brownies in a bread loaf pan (will probably be a half batch or quarter batch. Then, bake your pumpkin bread (split the pumpkin bread batter over two pans so you have the right height to match the brownies). Spread cream cheese frosting on your brownies, then place the half height pumpkin bread on top. Talk about blow your mind delicious!
More Delicious Pumpkin Recipes to Try
If you’re on the hunt for pumpkin desserts, or even savory recipes that lean into pumpkin flavor, I’ve got you covered.
- Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies
- Baked Pumpkin Doughnuts (a fantastic easy dessert for this time of year)
- Top 9 Free Pumpkin & White Bean Soup Recipe (GF, Top 9 Free)
- Vegan Pumpkin Mac-n-Cheese Recipe (Top 9 Free)
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Answering Your Pumpkin Bread Recipe Questions
Could I use an all purpose flour in this recipe?
You could try to use an all purpose wheat flour (or whole wheat flour), or gluten free all purpose flour in this eggless pumpkin bread recipe. However, and this is a big however, I can’t guarantee that all-purpose flour will work.
I engineer all of my free-from recipes carefully, and flour is a major swap. In theory, you should be fine. However, this isn’t something I’ve tested, so I don’t want to make you any promises.
Should you choose to make the swap, make sure you’re using a plain AP flour, not a self rising flour. Also, don’t use a single specific flour such as spelt flour (a type of wheat), or oat flour only. Something like that won’t give you the best results.
Can I use regular flax eggs instead of your ratio?
For this vegan pumpkin bread recipe, no, you cannot use a typical flax egg ratio. I call for a tighter bind so you have a higher rate of success. Additionally, since this is a gluten free recipe, that has to be taken into consideration. If you want the best vegan pumpkin bread, which I’m told this is, leave the ingredients as they are.
Can I use coconut oil in place of the olive oil?
No. For best results, you need to use the olive oil, or an oil that’s liquid at room temperature.
Is it possible to sweeten this recipe with maple syrup instead of the maple sugar?
No, you can’t swap the maple sugar for maple syrup. Maple sugar is a granulated sweetener whereas the syrup is a liquid sweetener. They behave and perform differently. A liquid sweetener will ruin this recipe.
You can however swap for other granulated sweeteners including date sugar, light brown sugar, white cane sugar, and coconut sugar. You cannot use alternative sweeteners such as stevia or monk fruit in this recipe.
If you’d like to learn more about different sweeteners and how they work in free-from baking, check out this article.
Can I use a different egg replacer in place of the flax?
No, you won’t be able to use a different egg replacer. This recipe has been engineered to be egg free and gluten free, and you need to leave the ingredients as they are as much as possible.
If you’d like to know more about the science behind gluten AND egg free baking, check out this article.
Will this recipe work with canned pumpkin pie mix?
No, you won’t be able to swap the canned pumpkin puree for canned pumpkin pie filling. The pie mix contains added sugar which will throw off the recipe. Now, if you can find an unsweetened canned pumpkin pie mix, that would work.
Do I need to cool this pumpkin bread on a cooling rack?
I haven’t found it necessary to use a cooling rack when making this soft pumpkin bread. I allow it to cool in the pan (which also ensures it firms up in the loaf shape), then remove it and slice. However, if you enjoy using cooling racks just for the sake of using them, you can totally do that. You won’t alter the taste of your pumpkin bread by cooling it that way. I’d let it cool in the pan for 20 minutes before moving it to the cooling rack to ensure the shape has firmed up in the proper shape, and to prevent breakage.
Could I use melted butter in place of the oil?
For this homemade pumpkin bread recipe, no, you cannot use a melted butter or melted dairy free butter in place of the oil. You need to use a neutral oil that’s liquid at room temperature. Organic extra virgin olive oil is my top choice, followed by organic tiger nut oil (tuber, not a tree nut). You could also try canola oil, vegetable oil, avocado oil, and so on. However, one of my kids would tell you that avocado oil should only be used as a last resort.
Should I bake this bread for longer if I use the chocolate chips?
You don’t need to add any additional minutes when using the chocolate chips. Be sure to do the toothpick test, and look for the other signs of doneness before removing your pumpkin loaf from the oven.
Can I make this recipe with less sugar?
I don’t recommend using less sugar in this recipe. As-is, this GF EF pumpkin bread (vegan as well) performs perfectly. Sugar is hygroscopic, meaning it helps retain moisture. The recipe is also designed to be refined sugar free, and use the least amount of maple sugar necessary to create a delicious, moist texture.
If you reduce the amount of sugar, you run the risk of ruining the whole loaf. If you’re needing ultra low sugar recipes, I’d suggest following a different recipe. You may be able to find one that taps into stevia or swerve, which may be a better option for you.
Do I need to bake this in a prepared loaf pan with spray and flour?
No, a traditionally prepared pan isn’t necessary. Just use the piece of parchment paper and you’re good to go. It will prevent ll sticking, and make the release a legit breeze. Not only that, but I’ve found that with free-from baking, cooking spray just isn’t all that awesome. Parchment paper will take MUCH better care of you, like a luxury spa.
Could I use my own flour mixture in this recipe?
If you have a gluten free flour blend you already love, you can try to make the swap. However, there are a lot of variables I can’t account for since I don’t know your blend and don’t work with it. Should you choose to make the swap, do so at your own risk. The recipe as-is will absolutely work, but I’m unable to promise that your flour mixture will work in this setting.
Can I swap the maple sugar for white sugar?
Yes, since white sugar is a granulated sweetener, you can use that in the dry mixture in place of the organic maple sugar. You’ll use the same weight (130g) when making the swap. However, know that white sugar, and all forms of cane sugar, will read as more sweet when compared to the maple sugar.
The great news is that you can experiment with different granulated sweeteners that have a different flavour profile including muscavado sugar, dark brown sugar, date sugar, and coconut sugar. Happy baking!
Is it possible to use less oil in this recipe to reduce the calories?
If you need to reduce calories or make a very low fat pumpkin bread, I suggest following a different recipe. This recipe has been carefully designed to be both gluten free and egg free, and each ingredient (including the oil) plays a critical role. If you were to use less oil, you have a good chance of ruining the whole loaf of egg free pumpkin bread.
Can I make this recipe with fresh pumpkin instead of canned pumpkin?
Honestly, I’m not sure. It’s not something I’ve tested. I’d suggest searching online to learn the differences between fresh pumpkin and canned pumpkin, then see if there’s some kind of cooking instructions and/or conversion that will get you close to canned pumpkin texture etc.
It may be that you need to make a pure pumpkin puree with your fresh pumpkin, then use that in this recipe.
Should I cool my pumpkin bread on a wire rack?
Great news! This no egg pumpkin bread doesn’t need to be cooled on a wire rack. I let it cool in the bread pan for 20 – 30 minutes, then leave it on the stovetop. I’ll also note, I use the parchment paper like handles to just lift it right out of the bread pan. Once cool, sometimes I even add a little glaze, then slice it up for friends in the neighborhood.
Can I swap the maple sugar for applesauce to sweeten the bread?
I’m so glad you asked, because no, you can’t make that substitute in your pumpkin bread batter and still have a successful bake for your family to enjoy.
Maple sugar is a granulated sweetener and it can only be swapped for other granulated sweeteners (date sugar, coconut sugar, cane sugar, etc.). Applesauce is considered a liquid sweetener, though, it’s more like a sweetener and additional mass because of its makeup and texture.
Just know that this substitution won’t work, and if you need to use applesauce in your sweet creations for medical reasons, you’ll want to search online for an egg-free pumpkin bread that already uses applesauce. This ensures that you have the right foundation ratios, which means anyone you share it with will eat it with a smile. Well, assuming it was a good recipe because people have written to tell me that there’s a lot of bad free-from recipes online these days.
Can I use other individual spices instead of the pumpkin pie spice?
Yes! You’ll want to use the same combined amount of the spices you go with. Pumpkin pairs well with warm spices including ginger, nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, allspice, cardamom, and even a bit of star anise.
Whilst there are others you can use, these particular spices will deliver the flavors you’re probably expecting from a pumpkin bread recipe.
Is it possible to use this recipe for pumpkin muffins instead?
Yup. I’ve tested it, and even added some dairy free chocolate chips and it turned out pretty well. You’ll need to start with half of the bake time, check the center of a muffin (I literally use a fork and scoop a little out because you can never be too sure), then add more time as needed.
Can I swap the flour blend for organic coconut flour?
If you only have coconut flour in your pantry, or can only bake with coconut flour, unfortunately, this is one of many substitutions you won’t be able to make with this pumpkin bread recipe, and for good reason. Coconut flour doesn’t behave like standard gluten free flours and will absorb liquid at a different rate.
When you use coconut flour in baked goods, you only use a very small amount to get said goods to bake successfully. If you were to use that much coconut flour, you’d just have gross, dry, expensive baked goods that you’ll toss.
The best advice I can give is to either use a proper all-purpose flour (can be gluten free or wheat based), or find an egg-free pumpkin bread recipe online that only uses coconut flour. Though, I imagine it won’t be easy to find. Try looking for a GAPs egg-free pumpkin bread, since they use coconut flour. An AIP Paleo recipe might work as well.
